National budget 4.27.10

Tuesday

Apr 27, 2010 at 12:01 AMApr 27, 2010 at 5:27 PM

GateHouse News Service National Budget
For 4/27/10 editions

Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com. Please submit stories below no later than 6 p.m. local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.

WAKE UP CALL!: Readers are selling their stuff to make a buck
http://www.ghnewsroom.com/top%20stories/x43874649/Tuesdays-Wake-Up-Call-Sell-stuff-and-build-your-emergency-fund

WHEN A REPORTER SHOOTS PHOTOS: Great tips for any staffer
http://www.ghnewsroom.com/carousel/x1520942404/Reporter-or-photographer-Check-out-these-tips-to-improve-your-shooting

NEW DOWNLOAD FUNCTIONS ON GHNS: Now download just the text of a story, or just the photos (or the whole shebang if that's what you want)
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/highlights/x57966031/Lisa-Glowinski-Improvement-to-GHNS-site

MORNING MINUTES: Includes Word of the Day, Web Site of the Day, Number to Know, This Day in History, Today’s Featured Birthday and Daily Quote.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/morning_minutes

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: It's OK to play with your food -- weekly food rail, with utensils that make dinner time fun, an easy recipe for thousand island dressing, tips on brewing truly great coffee, and more.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/food/x1394809913/Food-for-Thought-It-s-OK-to-play-with-your-food

YUMMY YOGURT: What's behind the buzz on Greek yogurt? -- Many fans say Greek yogurt simply tastes better. Ethnic cooks have known this for years. Greek yogurt is a staple in their fridges for recipes such as tzatziki, a Greek cucumber and yogurt sauce popular through the eastern Mediterranean. Now, everyday cooks are catching on. By Jennifer Mastroianni of The Repository.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x932351028/Greek-yogurt-Whats-behind-the-buzz

SEEING-EYE DOCS: Pet ophthalmologists see variety of patients -- The basset hound’s missing eye suggested he was a returning customer. With the dog’s long ears resting on the examination table, the nurse held him still while Dr. Dennis Donohue turned off the lights. By Robert Weitzman of The Enterprise.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/x43874739/Seeing-eye-docs-Pet-ophthalmologists-see-variety-of-patients

GERI NIKOLAI: It's time to start that vegetable garden -- It’s too early to plant most flowers outdoors, but vegetable gardeners can start having fun in the dirt now.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/home_and_garden/x1394811220/Geri-Nikolai-Its-time-to-start-that-vegetable-garden

GARDENING: Teaching children to garden has benefits that last beyond harvest -- “Kids love to play in the dirt," says Stephen Boley. “At least my children love to play in the dirt." And once spring hits, many an adult is ready to do the same. But involving children in gardening can be more of a challenge. By Sue Van Fleet of the Daily Telegram.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/education/x1394811239/Teaching-children-to-garden-has-benefits-that-last-beyond-harvest

IPHONE PACIFIER: Cranky baby? There's an app for that -- For some parents, the iPhone and its handheld world of digital entertainment have become the new pacifier, keeping fussy children from having a meltdown. By Dan Naumovich of the State Journal-Register.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x932357918/Cranky-baby-Theres-an-app-for-that

LITERACY: Expert says path to literacy starts with babies -- Jean Ciborowski Fahey isn’t a woman who demurs when asked her age. “It’s great to be 60 and doing what you love,” she said. Ciborowski Fahey, a literacy expert, has dedicated her life to promoting reading readiness in young children and preventing the difficulties that can undermine their future academic success. By Jody Feinberg of The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/education/x1394811460/Expert-says-the-path-to-literacy-starts-with-babies

TRAVEL: Celebrate the tastes of Mexico -- Sometime over the past few years, tourism dwindled, if not disappeared from Mexico. But, finally, the destination that once was the perfect weather vacation spot is picking up the pace in tourism. The trendy place to visit is the Riviera Maya. A short ride to the walled city of Tulum offers the chance to explore Mayan ruins, including the great pyramid. By Charlene Peters.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x43874864/Travel-Celebrate-the-tastes-of-Mexico

WEIGHT INJURIES: How to avoid injuries while lifting weights - When we think about sports injuries, football, soccer and other contact sports come to mind. You might be surprised how many ER visits are due to accidents while lifting weights. Here's how to stay out of the ER. By Carol Sponagle.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1042554929/How-to-avoid-injuries-while-lifting-weights

COMPOSTING: Advice from a self-proclaimed 'compost whacko' - Mary Beth Mahoney, a self-proclaimed "compost whacko," likes to say her family composts everything but the decals on fresh fruit. By Pam Adams.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/environment/x749219723/Advice-from-a-self-proclaimed-compost-whacko

ASK THE VET: Pets and gardens don’t always mix - We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about springtime garden hazards. Here are some tips to keep your pets out of harm’s way. By Dr. Ray Cahill.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/family/x43874857/Ask-the-Vet-Pets-and-gardens-don-t-always-mix

Entertainment

MAY SUDOKU: May sudoku puzzles (Nos. 673-707) are available for download. Previous puzzles are linked to in this file as well.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/puzzles/x932345647/Sudoku-puzzles-673-707-May-puzzles

MARILEE DRISCOLL: Rock 'n' roll and the currency of aging -- There are few things more magical than five band members who have been to hell and back over the years, still crankin’ it out and mixin’ it up. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s more about love than money at this point. After all, Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler just turned 62, and J. Geil’s Peter Wolf is 57.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x1394811687/Marilee-Driscoll-Rock-n-roll-and-the-currency-of-aging

GRANLUND CARTOON: The cost of the prom
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/opinions/cartoons/x43873514/Granlund-cartoon-The-cost-of-the-prom

CHARITA GOSHAY: Hey hypocrites: What color is your elephant? -- In “The Godfather: Part II,” Michael Corleone is confronted by a corrupt Nevada senator who’s disgusted that “I-talians” are spoiling his “clean country.” Unfazed, Corleone replies, “We’re all part of the same hypocrisy, senator.”
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/opinions/columnists/charita_goshay/x1394809412/Charita-Goshay-Hey-hypocrites-What-color-is-your-elephant

SUZETTE MARTINEZ STANDRING: Day of prayer does serve a secular function -- Prayer is not limited to Christians alone, but is practiced by all faiths, whether one worships one God, a pantheon of deities or nature itself. A National Day of Prayer is not a demand for worship, but a reminder that one of America’s great liberties is religious expression.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x57970324/Suzette-Martinez-Standring-Day-of-prayer-does-serve-a-secular-function

KENT BUSH: Words - like actions - have consequences - There is a fine line between a tool and a weapon. A hammer is a very useful tool. But in a fit of rage, a hammer can be used in a gruesome attack. The First Amendment gives all Americans the right to free speech. Like a hammer, most - but certainly not all - applications of that right are beneficial.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x932357748/Kent-Bush-Words-like-actions-have-consequences

News

NEW DRUG: 'New' OxyContin draws fire from some experts -- The federal government has approved a new formula for OxyContin to discourage the abuse of the drug, but those on the front lines say it may be too little, too late. By Maureen Boyle of The Enterprise.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/health/x932358156/New-OxyContin-draws-fire-from-some-experts

Business / Ag

HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT: $8,000 tax credit for homebuyers expires Friday -- With only days left before the homebuyer tax credit expires, Jean Larkin was trying not to feel the pressure of the looming April 30 deadline. Larkin, like many other potential homebuyers, was busy Sunday checking out open houses on the last weekend before the tax credit deadline. By Maribeth Conway of The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x57969406/-8-000-tax-credit-for-homebuyers-expires-Friday

SHOESTRING LIVING: Are big-boxes a big deal? - I love shopping at big-box stores. For a family of five, it makes perfect sense to buy oversized packages of toilet paper and paper towels and even fruits and vegetables. We’re a bunch of blueberry lovers around here, and nothing makes me happier than the huge container of blueberries I purchase at Costco. By Molly Logan Anderson.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x43872593/Shoestring-Living-Are-big-boxes-a-big-deal

CHECKOUT LANE: Tips to finding the perfect camera -- In general, there are two main types of cameras you can buy: the point-and-shoot and the SLR. Mike Adams, manager of Ritz Camera in Braintree, Mass., says a point-and-shoot camera, which has many automatic features, is good for beginners and novices. The single-lens reflex is the top choice of professionals. By Lana Lagomarsini of The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x57969403/Checkout-Lane-Tips-to-finding-the-perfect-camera

MAKING CENTS: Update your estate plan -- Under the current federal estate tax laws, there is no federal death tax. Of course, no one believes that this situation will remain the same for long, but where it goes is still up for debate. The cold hard facts are that federal laws will be different on Jan. 1, 2011, or sooner, and many states are likely to have changes, too. By John P. Napolitano of The Patriot Ledger.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x749217726/Making-Cents-Update-your-estate-plan

ON COMPUTERS: Truly useful websites -- Great websites are compelling because they provide unique services. That’s a rarity in our generic Web world, where you can get the same info on 50 sites. The envelope please: My nominations for the Most Truly Useful Websites of 2010. By Jim Hillibish of The Repository.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x43872849/On-Computers-Truly-useful-websites

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